MTV Switch Article

03/12/09 Is Green the new Black

"ETHICAL FASHION". It's a term that for most of us, conjures up images of crusty hippies dressed head to toe in hemp, or irritating preachy types decked out in home made monstrosities. But this year's London Fashion week has offered up a multitude of delights that suggest if we want to keep up with the It crowd, we're going to have to re-think our attitudes towards Green fashion.

The 'Estethica' exhibition at London Fashion week was established three years ago to showcase the growing movement of designers dedicated to sustainability in fashion. This year's exhibition was the biggest yet, with last year's collection of 13 designers growing to rather impressive 37. 13 designers one year, 37 the next? I spy a trend catching on. Quick sweetie-darling, listen up, and remember you heard it here first…

Trendy boutique 'From Somewhere' on Portobello Road sent models tottering down the catwalk in Nina Dolcetti Shoes; a collection of Vivienne Westwood-esque shoe boots and t-bars made from off cuts and colour swatches. Their designer, Elisalex Grunfeld De Castro describes herself as an 'up-cycler,' and uses British artisans to sole and heel her collections.

And for those of you with your fingers really on the pulse; you'll already know that Macs are a massive must-have this spring/summer. Christopher Raeburn showcased a range of Macs and jackets at Estethica, all of which were made out of surplus government parachute material. The stylish collection went down a storm, with Vogue.com and fashion156.com blogging about them in the following days.

And it wasn't just eco-enthusiasts who were present at the show. The front row was filled with fabulous looking glossy magazine editors such as Lucy Yeomans and Sarah Bailey from Harpers Bazaar, Elizabeth Walker, the Fashion Director at Marie Claire, and numerous luvvies from Elle and Glamour magazine.

So to all the aspiring fashionistas out there, if you want to help the environment, you can eat broccoli 'til the cows come home and no one's going to notice… wear an ethical label to make a statement at the same time as doing good. Doing good AND looking good?… What a truly fabulous thought.

Written By: Siobhan Rae - March 2009